Romney is planning a significant foreign policy speech Monday at the Virginia Military Institute, a school official confirmed to POLITICO this morning. "I'm confident it's going to happen," the official said. "Right now, we're working out the details."

CNN reported earlier this morning that some cadets were aware of the event planning.

This puts the speech ahead of the foreign policy-centric presidential debate, and a few days ahead of the vice presidential debate with a Republican contender whose lack of foreign policy credentials is likely to be pushed by Joe Biden. But it also is an area in which Republicans believe President Barack Obama has created a clear opening, with the situation in Libya and the changing administration answers on what happened.